NEW YORK, April 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- During the 45^th annual Earth Week, Pure Grown Diamonds announces a scientific breakthrough with the unveilings of the world's largest diamond growing greenhouse and world's largest lab-cultivated diamond – evidence of a true 21^st Century achievement that will help decrease dependency on destructive diamond mining, which is responsible for collapsing eco-systems, disintegrating wild habitats, a century of workers' rights violations and bloody armed conflicts sparked by greed.

Perfected Process of Carbon Crystallization

"Our physicists have perfected the laboratory process of replicating the earth's natural crystallization of carbon into alluring, scintillating, sizeable diamonds for the luxury jewelry, engineering, high-tech, precision-cutting instrument and semi-conductor industries," says Pure Grown Diamonds President and CEO Lisa Bissell. "Pure Grown Diamonds are indistinguishable from mined diamonds, even under a microscope, yet they cost 30 to 40 percent less, according to the Gemological Institute of America and International Gemological Institute."

Diamonds: Girl's Best Friend, Mother Earth's Enemy

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend but diamond mining is Mother Earth's enemy," says Bissell. "We have unlocked the code that will help spare the earth from further damage and solve the dilemma of rapidly depleting diamond mines." (See Frost & Sullivan Report Below)

Patricia Arquette Previews World's Largest Pure Grown Diamond

Academy Award winner Patricia Arquette previewed The World's Largest Laboratory-Cultivated Pure Grown Diamond in Hollywood at a pre-Oscar soirée. It is a 3.04 carat, near colorless diamond – priced at $23,000 compared to an identical earth-mined diamond selling for more than $40,000.

"This is a lab-created diamond, which means there is no blood involved in this diamond," exclaimed Arquette. "It is especially beautiful because no children died for this diamond. There were no slave wages paid for this diamond. There was actually a working wage paid to create this diamond. And, that's about love."

World's Largest Diamond Growing Green House

The World's Largest Diamond-Growing Greenhouse is forecasted to yield 350,000 carats in 2015. In 2014, 300,000 carats were harvested from the only-one-of-its-kind, 200,000 square foot, $150 million facility. It is owned and operated by Pure Grown Diamonds' Singapore sister company, IIa (2a) Technologies, Pte, Ltd.

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam publicly opened the World's Largest Diamond Greenhouse, several weeks ago.

True Eco-Friendly, Conflict-Free Diamonds – Identical to Mined Diamond Properties

The United States Federal Trade Commission concludes that these diamonds have the same chemical, optical and physical properties as mined diamonds.

The United States Federal Trade Commission concludes that these diamonds have the same chemical, optical and physical properties as mined diamonds.

"They are the world's only true eco-friendly, conflict-free diamonds because they are grown in the laboratory opposed to being dug-up from deep below the earth's crust," says Bissell.

Pure Grown Diamonds are available at 147 U.S. Jewelry stores in 31 states, the District of Columbia and online at www.PureGrownDiamonds.com

Pure Grown Diamonds Process

Since 1954, when General Electric first invented the process of creating industrial diamonds in a laboratory, scientists have been trying to grow diamonds of significant carat size and brilliance, without much success.

In 2014, after 30 years of his own research and development, physicist and inventor Dr. Devi Shanker Misra, PhD perfected the patented Pure Grown Diamonds process when he grew the world's largest lab-cultivated diamond.

Dr. Misra explains how he grows diamonds. "We place a small transparent carbon plate, known as a seed, in a microwave chemical vapor deposition chamber. Hydrogen and methane gases are combined with electrical energy. A plasma ball ignites. Soon after, carbon molecules begin forming and then rain on the seeds. Six to 10 weeks later, the diamonds mature. They are laser cut and polished. Finally, the girdle of each diamond is laser-scribed with a serial number and the words, 'Laboratory Grown'."

He adds, "Laser-scribing is a voluntary act of transparency that avoids co-mingling with earth mined diamonds."

Misra stresses, "We are revolutionizing and changing the landscape of the diamond industry, forever."

Rare Type IIa Pure Grown Diamonds

"Diamonds have superlative properties that are unmatched by any other materials on the planet," explains IIa (2a) Technologies CEO Vishal Mehta. "We are growing Type IIa diamonds, which are considered the rarest and purest -- with unsurpassed brilliance, clarity, hardness, thermal conductivity and transparency."

He continues, "Type IIa diamonds are unaffected by radiation; they have some of the highest carrier motilities and velocities and are electrically-insulating."

"Only two percent of the world's earth-mined diamonds are Type IIa. Queen Elizabeth and Elizabeth Taylor are amongst the very few women in the world who could afford Type IIa diamond jewelry," explains Bissell. "However, Pure Grown Diamonds is growing Type IIa diamonds affordable to everyone."

A one carat Pure Grown Diamond sells for as low as $3,000. A similar mined diamond sells for more than $5,000.

Diamonds: Essential to 21st Century Life

"Although 25 percent of IIa Technologies' greenhouse-grown diamonds are sold for luxury jewelry, the remaining 75 percent are for critical high-tech and industrial applications," says Mehta. "Most people associate diamonds with jewelry. What they do not realize is how important they are to the advancement of 21st Century life."

CEO & Inventor Partnership

Eight years ago, Mehta partnered with Dr. Misra to create a commercially viable and sustainable process of growing diamonds in a laboratory greenhouse that rival mined diamonds in every aspect. And, in doing so, the pair surmised they could help solve the world demand for diamonds and curtail the catastrophic effects of mining.

Mehta is a master's degree graduate in Business Administration and International Management from Arizona State University's Thunderbird School of Global Management; a Gemological Institute of America certified gemologist whose family has been pioneers in the gem and jewelry industries for three generations.

Dr. Misra is a former professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Mumbai, India. He has secured numerous patents and published more than 70 research studies on his work growing diamonds. He has shared his research and provided his diamond seeds to numerous peer-professors working on various lab-grown diamond applications at the following universities and laboratories.

• Argonne National Laboratory
• Arizona State University
• Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Cornell University
• Ohio State University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Michigan State University
• Rutgers University
• University of Alabama
• University of California
• University of Pittsburgh

Facts: Diamond Mining Environmental & Human Impact Verses Diamond Growing

• Diamond Mining Carbon Emissions Major Global Warming & Climate Change Factor
• Diamond Mining Emits 1.5 Billion Times More Carbon Emissions Diamond Growing
• Primary Energies Used: Diesel, Marine Gas, Oil & Petrol
• Diamond Growing Energy Consumption Typically From 100% Renewable Sources
• Diamond Exploration & Mining Uses Extensive Electricity and Hydrocarbons
• Diamond Mining is Extractive Industry: Visible & Physical Impact on Surroundings.
• Diamond Growing: No Land Disturbance or Geological Disruption
• Diamond Mining Utilizes Extreme Amounts of Water
• Water Scarce in African Diamond Regions
• Mining Water Depletes Drinking Water Supplies
• Mining Results in Excessive Waste Water Discharge & Pollution
• Diamond Growing: No Detrimental Impact Associated with Water Usage
• Diamond Growing: No Discharge of Waste Water
• Diamond Mining Hazards: Explosions, Trapped Miners, Equipment Accidents
• Illnesses: Tuberculosis, Permanent Hearing Loss, Slow Poisoning, Cancer Risks
• Diamond Growing Facilities Similar to Semiconductor Industry
• Employees Not Exposed to Life Hazards & Occupational Diseases.
• Mining Has Long-Term Impact on Social Wellbeing of Mine Workers & Communities
• Impact Unaddressed by Mining Industry in Undeveloped Countries.

Source: Frost & Sullivan Environmental Impact Analysis - Production of Rough Diamonds' a Frost & Sullivan report (2014)

Dwindling Diamond Supply

• Diamond Demand in Luxury & Industrial Sectors is Increasing
• World's Diamond Supply Diminishing.
• Diamond Mines Have Passed Peak Production Levels.
• Many Mines Abandon / Remnants are Gaping Holes in Earth that Collect Water
• In-Stagnant Water Mosquitoes Breed & Spread Disease
• Supply Forecasted to Drop to 13 Million Carats in 2050 from Current 133 Million Carats
• Since 2009, Rough Diamond Prices Up 75 percent
• Due to Depletion of Natural Resources
• Due to Increased Demand in U.S. & Rising Wealth Classes in China and India.
• Grown Diamonds Become Dominant Player in High-Tech Applications & Luxury Jewelry.
• Grown Diamonds Predicted to Provide a Good Hedge for Diversification of Multi-Industry Uses
• That Heavily Rely On Single Product – Gem Quality Diamonds.

Video & Photo Assets

• Video: Pure Grown Diamonds Earth Day Scientific Breakthrough B-Roll & Bites Electronic Press Kit (Viewing & Download) 
  B-Roll: https://vimeo.com/125533004
  BITES: https://vimeo.com/125532902
• Photo: Pure Grown Diamonds President & CEO Lisa Bissell Inspecting Cut and Clarity of World's Largest Lab-Cultivated
  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150211/174867
  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150420/199814
• Photo: Academy Award Winner Patricia Arquette Previews World's Largest Pure Grown Diamond
  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150420/199817

Contact

Bryan Glazer
President & Executive Producer
World Satellite Television News & Media Relations
New York – Palm Beach
212-673-4400 / 561-374-1365
Bryan@Televisionews.com

Video - https://vimeo.com/125501534 
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150420/199817
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150420/199851
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150420/199814

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SOURCE Pure Grown Diamonds